The Director's Cut by JS Taylor Read Free Book Online

concludes, drawing out the word.
    Now I’m looking questioningly at James. Is he blowing big movie budgets just to keep me happy?
    “I’d rather pay extra for a known quantity,” he repeats, answering my unspoken question.
    Suddenly I don’t care how it was all arranged. I’m just so delighted to see my best friend.
    “Thank you,” I say to James. “ Thank you so much. You have no idea how happy this makes me.”
    “My pleasure,” he says, and I see something dancing in his eyes. “There’s a tapas bar over the street. Perhaps you and Lorna would like to have lunch? Catch up? I’ll come pick you up later. Take you out for the afternoon.”
    This day is getting better and better.
    “Sure,” I say. “Is that ok with you?” I add, turning to Lorna. I don’t want to leave her alone in some strange city after lunch.
    “Oh, don’t you worry about me,” she says, sensing my tone. “I’ve already met some of the crew, and we’re all staying at the same hotel. Come on, let’s get something to eat. I am starved.”
     

Chapter 7
     
    Lorna and I pull up bar stools inside the tapas bar.
    Inside is cosy, and a few regulars have already taken seats. But it’s still early by Spanish standards, and we have the bar mostly to ourselves.
    James has already arranged us a tab, leaving instructions and a fistful of euros with the amazed restau rant owner. I was sad to see James go, but happy to have time alone with Lorna.
    “What’s the deal with tapas?” she asks, eyeing the counter of prepared meats and cheeses.
    “Little dishes,” I answer. “You can get the cold ones straight away from the counter. Hot ones they’ll bring out fresh. You’ll like it,” I add, seeing her uncertainty at being in a foreign place.
    “This sure is surreal,” she says, grinning at me. “A few hours ago , I was in London. Now I’m eating Spanish food in Barcelona. That James Berkeley really is something,” she adds.
    I smile at her.
    “Want me to order?”
    “Yeah. Sure. Get me some of that,” she adds, pointing to a plate of cured ham. “Ooo and some of those please.” She’s spotted another tasty looking plate.
    “ I’ll get a selection,” I reply. Lorna’s always been able to eat what she likes and hardly gain an ounce. She says she envies my curves, but I wouldn’t mind being able to eat like a horse and stay super-skinny like she does.
    I order a few house specialities. Small dishes of meats, cheese, and salad. And they’re slid onto the counter in front of us. Then I order a dish of hot squid and cooked sausage.
    “Cold beer?” asks Lorna, eyeing the fridge behind the bar.
    I glower at her, and she holds her hands up, innocently.
    “Alright, alright,” she laughs. “So diabetics shouldn’t drink beer. Water then?”
    “Water.” I agree. I order for both of us, and within moments, we’re served two glasses of ice cold water with lemon slices.
    We chink glasses.
    “This is amazing,” says Lorna, looking round. “Tapas. I love it.” She takes a forkful of the cured ham and pairs it with Manchego cheese. “Can’t beat Spanish cheese and ham,” she adds.
    I take a drink of water and a few bites of food.
    “I’ve missed you,” I say. “What’s been going on?”
    Lorna chews thoughtfully.
    “Oh, nothing much,” she says carefully. “Just working. You know.”
    “You weren’t answering your phone for three days,” I remind her.
    She looks down at her plate. I fill in the blanks.
    “Were you hanging out with Ben Gracey?” I ask. I try not to sound disapproving.
    Lorna sighs, swallows, and picks at the plate in front of her with a fork.
    “I don’t know, Issy,” she says. Her violet eyes land on mine. She sighs. “I just don’t know what to make of him,” she shrugs. “It’s so hot and cold with him. One minute he’s interested. The next he seems distant…”
    She trails off.
    “That doesn’t sound like you,” I observe, taking another bite of food. “Getting involved with